+ Church Directory
+ Read the Bible Online (Link)
Contributing Writers: Mike Mills, Spring Hill Church | Doug Fincher | Pastor Randy and Sue Smith | Mike Belgard | Tim Perkins
Faith
April 7, 2016 - "Truly, these times of ignorance, God overlooked, but now commands all men, everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:30-31) NKJV
These are the words of warning with which Paul addressed the men of Greece. The Greeks had over 100 god's and idols and Paul was having trouble relating the Lord God to them until he saw a statue to the "unknown god", Paul used this statue to relate the Lord God to the Greeks.
This they understood and some began to repent and accept the "new God" as their own. This speech was held in the city of Athens at a place called the Areopagus and was the beginning of Paul's successes with the Gentile world. Before this speech when Paul revealed the "unknown god" the Greeks had called him a babbler and had mocked him and his "god".
Paul declared this new, unknown god to be the True God and Creator of all things, telling them that the Lord God made all nations of earth from one blood. God only handmade two people, Adam and Eve, all others since have come from the union of that first couple.
We see the evil in this world today and wonder if God truly has commanded all men to repent of their sins and accept the Lord Jesus as Lord and Savior. Yes He has, but, God cannot dismiss nor ignore sin. He simply cannot tolerate it from his creations.
God is long suffering and patient for He wishes for all to be saved, He is quick to forgive us of sins, but He never, ever dismisses us of the consequences of our sins. We may or may not understand when or how we paid for a specific sin, but we will.
Some will not pay until the end of this age at the White Throne Judgment when they must walk into that lake of burning sulphur into eternal torment. Included in these are the ones who consider themselves to be above the laws of God, they are often "their own man" but will fall the hardest without repentance.
God raised Jesus from the dead just to prove His deity to the world, that people would know the awesome power of the Lord God by the resurrection.
The time for repentance is now, no person knows when God will call an end to this age, but we do know that each day we get one day closer to judgment.
Are you ready, do you know Jesus as Lord, maybe a better question is; "does Jesus know you?"
Jesus says that many will come to Him on that judgment day proclaiming to have been saved, claiming to have worked long and hard for the Lord, but Jesus will say to them; "I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness." (Matt. 7:23) NKJV
Again; I ask, does Jesus know you, have you truly given your life to Him? Time grows short!!!
Please feel welcome to join us on Wednesday evenings at 6:00PM for Bible Study at Spring Hill Baptist Church, for more info call, 936-615-1427. May God bless...
April 11, 2016 - Sunday was the 3rd Sunday of Easter, with our Gospel Lesson once again coming from John. Most students of the Bible believe that this last chapter of John was added much later than the rest of the Gospel. Problems of the early Jesus movement were often answered in the early writings of Jesus’ followers, including the Gospels found in the New Testament. In today’s story the miraculous and the ordinary meet. Peter and some of his fellow Jesus followers return to the familiar region of the Galilee. They really don’t know what to do, so they turn to what many of them know best—fishing. All fishermen know that sometimes you return to shore with little to show for your effort, which is what happens to the disciples. A stranger on the shore suggests that they cast their nets on the other side of the boat; miraculously, the nets fill with fish. Peter figures out who the miracle-worker is and jumps out of the boat. He swims to the resurrected Christ, who is fixing them an ordinary breakfast.
We have had a week of beautiful days. Everything is flowering and turning green. We see resurrection all through nature, and I hope you take some time to really enjoy it. While working—playing—in my garden, I keep thinking about how hot it is going to be in a few months. That is so typical: to have so much beauty all around but letting my mind wander to unpleasant things.
We had a small crowd this morning. It was great to see Joe back; he and Hilda selected hymns that we all enjoyed—very spirited. Our Sunday school lesson was really thought-provoking. The lesson was based on Luke 7: 36-50. Jesus was invited to a Pharisee’s home and a woman who was shunned by the community crashed the party. We are only told she was looked upon as a reject, so we can just fill in the blank. Jesus does the unexpected by welcoming her and allowing her to wash his feet. This made the good folks at dinner begin to wonder what kind of rabbi Jesus was that he seemed so accepting of this woman. Needless to say, the lesson and the words of the author of the Sunday school literature sparked much interest.
Sunday afternoon Sue and I went to Nacogdoches to see Sue’s brother and his wife, who are celebrating their first wedding anniversary. They had driven up from Houston for the afternoon to visit Dixie, Sue’s mom. Sue’s sister and brother-in-law met us and we all went out for a late lunch. It was like a little family reunion. This Monday morning it was raining. There was a dry-ish pause, so I took my four-legged friends for a walk in the park. I have three 50 gallon barrels to collect rain water from the roof, but all three were empty. So I am looking forward to some collectible rain.
The rain gives me time to finish my weekly email and article about Paxton Methodist. I really appreciate the local newspaper and online news printing the articles—one of the many special things about living in a small town.
“Whoever you are, in whatever faith you were born, whatever creed you profess; if you come to this house to find God you are welcome here.” Paxton United Methodist Church is an inviting church that takes to heart the idea of “Open Doors, Open Hearts, Open Minds.” Sunday School starts at 9:15 and Worship begins at 10:00. Our email address is paxtonumc@yahoo.com. If you would like the weekly email newsletter about Paxton Methodist you can send me your email address to the Paxton email address and I will add you to the list. God’s Speed!
April 10, 2016 - Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church would like to invite everyone to attend their 77th Annual Homecoming on Sunday, April 24, 2016 celebrating 177 years of continuous service.
This years homecoming services are being dedicated in memory of Mrs. Edith Owens Swan. Everyone is invited to come and pay tribute to this very special lady and the way she impacted and inspired anyone who knew her during her nearly 101 years of fellowship and the surrounding communities.
Service begins at 10:30am with lunch to follow in the fellowship hall. Bro. J.C. Lewis will be bring the morning message. An afternoon singing begins at 1:30pm.
Fellowship MBC is located just off Farm Market road 139 and 2787 on County Road 3569 in Joaquin, Texas. The church was established in 1839. Fellowship is the oldest Baptist Church in Shelby County and the oldest living Baptist Church in Texas in association with the American Baptist Association.
Come and hear God's word and enjoy the fellowship.
April 6, 2016 - Community Christian Services and God's Food Pantry would like to invite you to The Taste and See Community Tent Meeting on April 10 - 13th at 6:30pm in Downtown Joaquin, Texas.
The Community Tent Meeting/Revival is the vision of the area Pastors to intentionally share the good news of the Gospel with our surrounding communities. It is a multi church/denominational gathering to lift high the name of Jesus Christ and make His message known. The event is sponsored in part by Jackson Baptist Church, First Baptist Church Haslam, First Baptist Church Joaquin, First United Methodist Church Joaquin and First Baptist Church Logansport. Sunday morning, April 10th, there will be a worship service/tent meeting kick off beginning at 10:50 AM under the tent.
Guest speaker will be Dr. Gevan Spinney. Gevan is Senior Pastor at First Baptist Haughton, LA since 2002. He is married to his high school sweetheart Andrea and they have three boys: Jeb (12), Jake (10) and Jude (4).
They remind themselves often, "God has given us the business of raising Godly men in a godless culture". Some of his favorite things in life include: Witnessing a life being transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ, taking a road trip with his bride, sitting in a deer stand with one of his boys, watching the sun come up during the rut in Kansas, hearing a turkey gobble on a warm spring morning.
April 5, 2016 - The Todd Spring Baptist Church located on HWY 147 Shelbyville, TX will have their annual "Family and Friends" Day program, Sunday, April 10, 2016 at 2:30PM. Pastor Gaylon W. Taylor and The County Line Baptist Church of San Augustine, TX will be the special guest. All family and friends are asked to come help us make this a joyous occasion!
April 4, 2016 - Sunday was the 2nd Sunday of Easter. The Gospel Lesson for this Sunday came from the John Gospel—20: 19-21. The story of “Doubting Thomas” is one of the best-known post-Easter stories. We know that doubting is part of believing—an emotion that we all feel, and not just in a spiritual sense. We are so familiar with this wonderful story of belief and disbelief that we forget what Jesus promised those that experienced him: “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.”
We have had several birthdays these past two weeks: Evie Ideker, Carolyn Umbrell, and Fannie Watson. Happy Birthday! Evie was one year old, and I’m pretty sure that makes her the youngest of those three. Sunday being the first Sunday of the month, we celebrated Holy Communion. On Monday we head to Green Acres for our monthly ministry there. During the month of April, we will be collecting toothpaste and toothbrushes for Community Christian Services.
Last Sunday Fannie and her family hosted an Easter Sunrise Service. There are so many people to thank for all they did to get ready for the large crowd—around 120 on this 29th sunrise service. We also thank God for the beautiful weather that morning. According to the weather reports, there was a good chance of rain. Instead we got sunshine and a cool morning.
Stephen George played the keyboard for congregational singing and also sang a moving special. Larry McNeil read the Invocation. Brenda Giles welcomed everyone on behalf of the Watson family. Luke Johnson and Jonathan Williamson played guitar and drums, performing two songs of faith. Colleen Doggett led the Responsive Reading. Michael Black introduced Rev. Tim Watson, the interim pastor at Center First Baptist, who delivered a thought-provoking Easter message about eyewitnesses to the Resurrection. After the message, Fannie invited everyone to stay for breakfast (wonderful, as usual). Rev. Matt Cecil, the recently appointed pastor to Tenaha and Timpson Methodist churches, gave the benediction and blessing.
“Whoever you are, in whatever faith you were born, whatever creed you profess; if you come to this house to find God you are welcome here.” Paxton United Methodist Church is an inviting church that takes to heart the idea of “Open Doors, Open Hearts, Open Minds.” Sunday School starts at 9:15 and Worship begins at 10:00. Our email address is paxtonumc@yahoo.com. If you would like the weekly email newsletter about Paxton Methodist you can send me your email address to the Paxton email address and I will add you to the list. God’s Speed!
April 4, 2016 - "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." (Matt. 7:12) NKJV
We know these words as the "Golden Rule" which we usually say as; "do unto others as you would have them do unto you". They are not only words to live by, they are a part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, the famous sermon preached there to His disciples.
These words are reinforced by the words of God through the old prophet, Micah when he answered the young man's prayer for answers to how he should come to be saved; "He has shown you O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8) NKJV NOTE: THIS DOES NOT SAY "REQUEST" IT SAYS "REQUIRE"
To do justly would be to do unto others as you would have them to do unto you. To love mercy would be to help your fellow man, your neighbor, when he is in need or in trouble. To walk humbly with your God means that each day we Christians are to do the Lord's will for us and not our own wishes for that day, nor the wishes of mankind. For it is God's will that counts and not our own.
Through Matthew, Jesus said these words; "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matt 22:39) NKJV. If we truly love our neighbors as ourselves then we will be good neighbors, we will treat others justly and in turn, we will be inclined to walk humbly with God each day.
In other words, we will become the kind of Christians that we should be. A people working each day, in harmony, doing God's will, spreading the gospel of the Lord by our daily lives, our daily actions and our daily words. We will be the vessels by which God can shine the light of the gospel into the darkness of this cold, cruel world.
Why, you say, are these words not followed any more than they are in America today? The answer is simple, the Golden Rule is much more than words, it is a Christian principal; to obey it and follow it throughly, requires the grace of God in one's heart. One must be saved if one is to follow it.
This golden rule is really the sum of all the scriptures in the Bible, for when you boil it down, to be Christian means to act like Christ in our lives. While we are not perfect as He was, our goal should be to be as perfect as we can possibly be each day.
We Christians are the closest thing to Jesus that many will ever see, by our actions He is judged, remember that each day. If you profess to follow Jesus then by your actions, He, Jesus, is judged. Let us by our actions and words spread the gospel and love of Jesus to everyone we meet each day. Please feel welcome to join us each Wednesday evening at 6:00PM for Bible Study at Spring Hill Baptist
Church, call 936-615-1427 for more info.
May the Lord bless you and keep you each day...
April 4, 2016 - House of Refuge Apostolic Ministries and Pastor Apostle W. E. Nash, Jr. would like to invite the public to their Usher Program. The program will be on Sunday, April 10th, starting at 3:00 in the afternoon. The church is located at 215 Church St. in Center, TX. Guest Speaker will be Elder Richard McCowin from Long Star Baptist Church in Chandler, Texas. Lunch will be served.
April 4, 2016 - At the end of Judges it is written, “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judg. 21:25). This same statement is made three other times in the book of Judges, Jdg.17:6, Jdg.18:1, Jdg.19:1.
As a result of their “perception” of not having a king, they at one point asked for one. In response to this Samuel told them, “And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God was your king” (1 Sam. 12:12).
Just like in the days of Israel people today must think we have no king and we are entitled to do whatever we want in spiritual matters. Paul said that Jesus was King of kings (1 Tim. 6:15) and Jesus Himself even took the title of King (Jn. 18:37).
When people do what is right in their own eyes, they willingly neglect and forget that King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus. Paul wrote, “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Col. 1:17-18).
As King, Jesus’ words are final and unalterable (Jn. 12:48). Jesus said, “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: … And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man” (Jn. 5:22,27). Jesus is judge, jury and executioner, make no mistake about it. There is a KING in the land!
For this reason men need to seek what the King wants, how He wants and where He wants it. As long as men do what is right in THEIR eyes with their creeds and the like the true King will never be honored.
Church email: northsidecoccenter@gmail.comIf you would like to receive our weekly bulletin, just email us us your request and we will be happy to put you on the list!
“Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.” - Proverbs 17:6
April 3, 2016 - Our son Brandon, his wife Kristi and their 5-year old twins visited us for several days last week. They live in Mesquite, Texas and we always look forward to seeing them. Brandon likes to fish so we drove down to Bayou Seipe Bridge near Huxley to a place we used to fish when he was in high school. Giant Salvinia had completely covered the water’s surface, so we drove around looking for another fishing spot. As we neared the lake, I spotted a Female Wood Duck and her 14 (!) babies lined up on a fallen willow log. I grabbed my camera and asked Pam to fish with the others while I photographed the ducks. The beautiful clouds… sprinkling rain… the cypress and willows…the smell of clean air… so engrossed me that I began photographing everything I found in this attractive inland cove. I sat on several logs of driftwood as I got shots of the ducks, an Anhinga, a Green Heron and a group of five Kingbirds. Watching the Anhingas soar so effortless on the high air currents made me feel only marginally superior to them. I was stunned by how quickly the ants… big black ones, red ones…tiny ones… found me wherever I sat. (I had forgotten that I spilled NuGrape soda earlier on my blue jeans).
When I joined the others, I found Zoe and Lundyn giggling and splashing in the shallow water with Pam and Kristi watching and Brandon fishing. We took pictures, collected driftwood and spent most of the day at the lake with Brandon and his young family.
As we drove behind them on our way back to San Augustine, Pam reflected wistfully, “Hasn’t it been wonderful being with the kids today?” “Yes”, I replied. ”We always do good…
…..when our children do”.
Pages
